New rule could aid civilian recruitment of military police

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) _ The Nebraska Crime Commission is considering a rule change that would make it easier for military police officers to become civilian enforcers of the law.
The proposal would let the state’s four law enforcement academies fast-track certification for former military police officers whose training is consistent with Nebraska requirements, the Lincoln Journal Star reports. The proposal would give the state’s police departments and sheriff’s offices another recruiting tool at a sensitive time for law enforcement agencies amid protests over treatment of minorities. Lancaster County Sheriff Terry Wagner’s department is trying to find replacements for three deputies who will retire in six months, and he said he favors “anything that helps the process to be a little bit more streamlined.” Hiring and training new recruits can take up to a year, but the proposed rule change would allow MPs and officers from other states or federal agencies to bypass much of the 16-week training course at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island. The center trains all Nebraska law enforcement except Lincoln and Omaha police and troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol. Those agencies have their own academies, so they will have to decide how to proceed if the new rules are approved, said Crime Commission Executive Director Darrell Fisher. A public hearing on the proposal is set for Oct. 14. If the commission were to rule favorably on the proposal, it would require approval by the governor and attorney general to become part of the state’s regulations. Regardless of military or other outside experience, all hires still would be required to complete training on Nebraska criminal laws and those covering use of force and search and seizure.